Applicant is familiar with various types of explosion suppression devices and has found that such units incorporate systems which are electrically dependent for converting the detection of a pressure rise into a suppression action. Examples of electrically dependent systems include the Patent to Gillis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,266; the Patent to Bagno, U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,282; and the Patent to Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,717. Other systems such as interconnected extinguishers illustrated in the Patent to Dabor, U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,881 and Thery, U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,572 include interlock arrangements which require electrical supervision. The dependence on an electrical source presents problems due to the potential for failure of the electrical supply and the possibility of damage to one or more of the interconnecting wires which typically extend beyond the point at which the suppressant container is physically located. Such problems necessitate the use of battery backup systems and electrical supervision of interconnecting wires. Further, electrical interconnections utilized in association with hazardous industrial processes require conformance to safety regulations which significantly increase the cost of system installation. To avoid this problem a device such as that described in Gillis utilizes batteries located at each suppressant container to provide the power necessary to operate the system. While this eliminates interconnecting wires, it leaves the system totally dependent upon the batteries of each unit and upon plant personnel for monitoring battery conditions.
With applicant's unit a self contained, pressure responsive and pressure actuated unit is provided which eliminates any reliance upon electricity or electrically associated sources.
It is therefore an object of applicant's invention to provide an explosion suppression device which provides a non-electric self contained unit responsive to increases in pressure within a protected area for release and expulsion of fire retardant substances into the area for the suppression of explosions and retardation of fires which may result from such explosions.
It is a further object of the applicant's invention to provide a non-electric self contained, explosion suppression unit having a source of stored pressurized gas connected therewith, which upon valve opening will act to cause expulsion of retardant material into a process enclosure being protected against explosions resulting from ignition of combustible materials within the enclosure.
It is still a further object of the applicant's invention to provide an explosion suppression unit which is adaptable for mounting onto or into various process structures without electrical interconnections, which unit incorporates a common-type housing having a canister therein which canister houses a quantity of fire suppressant and retardant material which material is explosively released upon detonation of the canister for distribution into the area to be protected.
It is still a further object of the applicant's invention to provide a non-electric self contained explosion suppression unit, incorporating what may be termed a common housing into which interchangeable and replaceable canisters may be slideably mounted through one sealable end of the housing, such canisters or design designated portions thereof moveable upon application of pressure thereto, with one end of the housing being open and exposed to the protected enclosure and the other sealable end of the housing being connected to a stored source of pressurized gas via valving mechanism controlled solely by movement of the canister or design designated portions thereof to release pressure from the source for action against the canister.
It is still a further object of the applicant's invention to provide a non-electric self contained explosion suppression unit having a cylindrical housing and a retardant containing canister slideably mounted therein, which canister is provided with a self contained explosive device and which explosive device is actuated upon predetermined movement of the canister and cooperating mechanisms thereof, to rupture the canister and expel the retardant material contained in the canister for distribution into the protected enclosure.
A further object of the applicant's invention is to provide a non-electric self contained explosion and fire retardant device which can be readily serviced or restored to service after discharge without dismantling of the equipment, in that the extinguishant canister is accessible and can be replaced through a removeable or hinged cover at one end of the cylindrical housing, which cover also allows access to the pressure source controlling mechanism which after repositioning or replacement permits the pressure vessel to be repressurized on site with proper high pressure air or non-combustible gasses.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide optional interface with any process equipment power source through means of a pressure line connected between the pressure vessel of applicant's device and pressure operated switching means located in close proximity to process power control equipment to shut down or otherwise control operation of machinery in the event of a discharge of the explosion suppressant material.
It is an additional object of the applicant's invention to provide at least two distinct methods of distributing suppressant and extinguishant into a protected area, which two methods acting together provide extremely rapid and complete distribution of the suppressant, but wherein either of the two methods acting alone will deliver a quantity of agent into the protected area.
It is a further object of applicant's invention to provide a means to automatically compensate for changes in pressure between the interior and exterior of the protected enclosure, as may be due to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure, in order to prevent either false actuation of or failure to actuate the explosion suppression unit's pressure responsive mechanism.
It is a further object of the applicant's invention to safely contain all pressures generated within the housing of the unit, whether caused by pressure released from the pressure vessel or that due to detonation of explosive within the canister, and direct the resulting force of these pressures axially along the cylindrical housing and out the open end thereof into the protected enclosure or area.
It is still a further object of the applicant's invention to provide an explosion suppression system which provides a number of non-electric self contained units which are responsive to increases in pressure within a protected area for release and expulsion of fire retardant substances into the area wherein the actuation of one of the units will rapidly increase the pressure within the area to initiate response of the other such units and providing an effective pressure interlock between units.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and disclosure.